It is well known in the art of artificial airway devices such as laryngeal masks to provide a connector at the proximal end of the airway tube for allowing connection of the artificial breathing device to a breathing apparatus. It is recognized that anesthetised patients may bite the airway tube of a laryngeal mask, because a portion of the airway tube inevitably is located at the inter-dental gap, i.e. the teeth of the patient contact the proximal end of the airway tube at a point of tooth contact. Since most airway tubes of laryngeal masks are made flexible to facilitate insertion and comfort to the patient, a patient biting the airway tube may therefore result in a collapse of the most common type of airway tubes and in dental damages if the airway tube is made too rigid at the point of tooth contact.
The publication WO 2007/071429 discloses a connector for a laryngeal mask, which connector comprises a connector body, a flange extending radially from the connector body, and an insertion section adapted for insertion into the bore at the proximal end of an airway tube of the laryngeal mask to support the airway tube in use, the insertion section including a continuous wall extending longitudinally from the flange. To reinforce a portion of the airway tube two wall portions extend longitudinally from the continuous wall and two parallel and opposite longitudinal wall cut-away portions are intermediate the at least two wall portions. Thereby, the connector performs dual functions as the connector besides from being an adaptor to a breathing device also prevents the airway tube from collapsing if the patient bites it. However, it may be difficult to easily secure the insertion section of the connector into the airway tube and ensure that no leaks occur between the insertion section and the airway tube during ventilation of the patient.
A connector of the above-mentioned known kind is utilized in the publication WO 2012/042219, which discloses a more complex solution wherein the connector forms part of the airway tube, which is configured to substantially maintain the bore of the airway tube at the point of tooth contact.